KILKENNY, a parish and burgh (royal), in the district of St-Andrew's, county of Fife, 3 miles (S.W. by W.)
from Crail, and 10 miles (S. S. E.) from St. Andrew's; including the village of Nether Kilrenny, or Cellardykes,
and that of Upper Kilrenny; and containing 2039 inhabitants, of whom 1652 are in the burgh. This
parish, which is situated on
the north of the Firth of Forth, at the south-eastern
extremity of the county, is supposed to have derived its
name from the dedication of its church to St. Ireneus.
Nether Kilrenny, which is on the coast, is separated
from Anstruther Easter only by a small rivulet: it obtained
the name of Cellardykes from the numerous storehouses
ranged along the shore for the use of the fisheries,
which were formerly carried on to a very great extent,
and are still steadily increasing. About forty large
boats, with crews of seven or eight men each, go regularly
to the deep-sea fishery, during the whole course of
the year, except the time occupied in autumn and January
by the herring-fishings. A pretty large number of
yawls also, with crews of three or four each, principally
boys and old men, go to sea, but not to so great a distance.
The hardy and enterprising fishermen of this
place are often in imminent danger from the e.vposed
situation of the coast, the heavy sea that beats upon it,
and the great distance to the fishing-ground; but their
boats, which are all open, being in first-rate order, and
well managed, accidents seldom occur. Within the last
few years, a salmon-fishery has been established on the
coast of the burgh, and a number of fine fish have been
taken. The fish principally caught here are cod, ling,
haddocks, halibut, and turbot, of vvhicli large quantities
are sent to London, Liverpool, Edinburgh, and other
markets. Not less than seventy boats, with crews of
six men each, belonging to the place, are employed in
the herring fishery. Cellardykes has a population of
14h6, and consists chiefly of one main street irregularly
built, and extending along the shore; a pier was erected
in 1831, for the accommodation of vessels engaged in
the fishery, and there is a favourable site for the construction
of a connnodious harbour. Upper Kilrenny
contains 233 persons, and is about a mile to the northeast
of Cellardykes, with which it is coiniected by the
road from Anstruther to Crail; it consists only of the
church and manse, the houses of Innergclly and Renny-
Ilill, an iini, and some rural cottages. The post-town
is Anstruther; and facility of communication is afforded
witli St. Andrew's and other towns by good roads that
pass through the parish.
The BURGH of Kilrenny, which includes both the villages
already described, though said to have been erected
into a royal burgh by James VI., does not appear to
have received any regular charter of incorporation. Its
magistrates, appointed by Bethune of Balfour, the superior
of the burgh, returned a member to the Scottish
parliament without any legitimate authority; and at
the time of the Union, though it had been expunged
from the list of royal burghs at the request of the magistrates,
it was inadvertently classed with the royal
burghs of the district. Until I8'29 the government was
vested in a provost, two bailies, and twelve councillors,
duly chosen; but in that year, the burgh was disfranchised
owing to an irregularity iu the annual election of
the officers, and its affairs were placed under the direction
of managers by the court of session. Even before
this, there were no incorporated guilds possessing exclusive
privileges, nor was any fee exacted for admission as
a burgess. The town-house is a small inferior building.
Kilrenny is associated with St. Andrew's, Anstruther
Easter, Anstruther Wester, Crail, Cupar, and Pittenweem,
in returning a member to the imperial parliament:
the number of qualified voters is about fifty. The parish
is of triangular form, its base extending along the
sea-shore for nearly three miles. The surface rises gradually
from the coast towards the north, and is diversified
with a few hills of inconsiderable height: there are
no rivers in the parish, except the small burn that divides
it from Anstruther, and another rivulet that falls
into the sea at the eastern boundary of the burgh. The
coast is bold and rocky, and indented with some small
bays; on the east of Cellardykes are some rocks called the
Cardinal's Steps, and others are perforated with caves,
one of which is of considerable extent. The soil is
generally very fertile; and the lands, chiefly arable,
produce favourable crops of grain of every kind: the
system of husbandry is improved, and sea-weed, of
which abundance is thrown upon the coast, is used as
manure. About £3 an acre is the average rent of land.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of the
presbytery of St. Andrew's and synod of Fife. The
minister's stipend is £'2.51. 17- H-, with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £27. 10. per annum; patron. Sir W. C.
Anstruther, Bart. Kilrenny church is a neat plain structure
in good repair. The parochial school is well conducted;
the master has a salary of £34, with a house
and garden, and the fees average from £30 to £40 per
annum.